3/24/2011

Julian Assange, The Man Behind WikiLeaks (Part 1)



LEVEL: Post-Intermediate +

AGE: Young Adults/ Adults

Before you watch:


·        Read the title. How much do you know about the topic?
 
FOCUS ON LANGUAGE
A. Join with arrows
 

1.      Shut down/ found                    a. controversy/ public outcry
2.      Trigger                                    b. somebody with sexual assault/ espionage/
3.      Gather                                     c. somebody of doing something
4.      Decline                                    d. a website/ a company
5.      Charge                                    e. information              
6.      Accuse                                    f. to talk about something
7.      Avoid                                      g. being arrested/ killed/ kidnapped



B. What’s the meaning of the following terms?  How might they relate to the video?


at risk                   a smear campaign                           a whistleblower                       retaliate
surveillance                              outrageous                        under house arrest/ legal attack
beyond somebody’s reach                       leak information                       against his will


While you watch: COMPREHENSION

C. Watch the Introduction (00-01’)

1.      What’s WikiLeaks and who founded it?
2.      Where did he gather the information from?
3.      What’s his situation at present?
4.      He’s been called for questioning in two sexual assault cases. How does he regard them?
5.      What will he talk about in the interview?

D. Watch part I: True or False? Account for your answer (00.01 to 00.03’.38’’)

1.      Most people regard Assange as a criminal.
2.      He’s currently under house arrest in an English estate.
3.      He refused to talk about the allegations in Sweden on the advice of his attorney.
4.      Assange is used to concealing his identity in order to avoid the paparazzi.
5.      His paranoia is fully justified.


 Join with arrows.

In the last four years WikiLeaks has:
1.      Released information that played some role in deciding the 2007 election                 a. in the US
2.      Fuelled the anger that recently brought down the government                                   b. in Tunisia
3.      Divulged the membership rolls of a neo Nazi organization                                        c. in Great Britain
4.      Published secrets which affected the Church of Scientology                                     d. in Kenya


E. Watch part 2: (00.03’.38’’ to 00.08’.45’’)

1. What does WikiLeaks prove?
2. Why doesn’t the US have the technology to shut the site down?
3. When and under what circumstances did Wikileaks first catch the attention of most Americans?
4. Does he think he’s subverting authority?                                                  
5. What’s the most persistent criticism from within the press?


F. Watch part 3: (00.08’.45’’ to end)


6. Does he consider himself anti-American? Why?
7. The Justice Department and the Pentagon are conducting a criminal investigation to find a way to prosecute Assange and extradite him to the U.S. Is he surprised? Why? What does he consider outrageous?
8. Why does Assange assert that he’s been “inside the rules”?
9. Who is Private Bradley Manning? What’s Assange’s opinion concerning Manning’s case?
10. What will happen if they let Assange get away with it, according to Assange himself? 

·         After you watch: FOCUS ON GRAMMAR

F. TENSES

Just a few months ago, most people 1- _____________________(never/ hear) of a Web site called
WikiLeaks, or of its mysterious and eccentric founder, Julian Assange. But in this short period of time both
2- ___________________(manage) 3- ____________________(rattle) the worlds of journalism,
diplomacy, and national security. WikiLeaks, which 4- _________________________________( solicit 
and publish) secrets and suppressed material from whistleblowers around the world, 
5-_________________(be) under cyber attack from governments that want to shut it down. And Assange
is currently under legal attack from the U.S. government which would like 6- ____________________
(charge) him with espionage for 7-_________________ (publish)  volumes of classified material from the
Pentagon and the State Department."60 Minutes" and correspondent Steve Kroft
8-__________________(spend) two days with him in Great Britain where he is under house arrest, while 
9-__________________(fight) Extradition to Sweden for questioning in two sexual assault cases, which he
10- ______________________(call) part of a smear campaign against him. In his most extensive television
interview to date, Assange talked to us about his work, his vision and the prospects of facing criminal charges
in the United States.

G. PREPOSITIONS

________attack.                                                                             ________risk                             _______someboby’s reach 
charge somebody ________ a crime         accuse sby _______ something/ doing something
shut ___________ a site/ a company                       get __________with a crime
do something _________ somebody’s advice/ request




H. PARAPHRASING

1.     Nobody knew who Assange was before the appearance of WikiLeaks.
When WikiLeaks appeared nobody____________________________________of Julian Assange.

2.     With WikiLeaks Assange managed to rattle the worlds of journalism, diplomacy and security.
With WikiLeaks Assange succeeded _________________________________________________

3.     Before he was arrested it wasn’t strange for Assange to conceal his identity.
Before he was arrested Assange was used to____________________________________________

4.     Assange used to change his cell phones and general appearance so that nobody would arrest him.
Assange changed his cell phones and general appearance to avoid ________________________________

5.     Julian Assange didn’t talk about the sexual assault cases in Sweden on his attorney’s advice.
Assange’s attorney suggested ___________________________________________________________

6.     Assange’s life is at risk because his enemies are very powerful.
If Assange’s enemies weren’t so powerful __________________________________________________

7.     Even though he’s under house arrest in an estate in Great Britain, he still feels as if he were in a cage.
In spite ___________________________________________________________________________

 
I. Write a short summary of the video trying to use as much new vocabulary as possible


Use:
·         New vocabulary & expressions  
·         The following verb patterns (  AVOID               MANAGE            ENCOURAGE          )
·         Suitable linkers (IN SPITE OF/ THEREFORE/ etc)


3/16/2011

Working (Part Time) in the 21st Century



Video Session: Working (Part-Time) in the 21st Century
LEVEL: Pre- Intermediate/ Intermediate

AGE: Adults

  • Discuss before you watch:
•          How common is it for people to work part time in your country?
•          What are the most common reasons for people to work part time?
•          Have you ever worked this way? Do you know anybody who does?
•          What are the advantages and drawbacks for the employee/ company?

  • While/After you watch:
1. What does Remco Vermaire do for a living?
2. Does he work full time?
3. Has he always worked this way?
4. What percentage of Dutch men and women work part time?
5. Why do they say that employees can afford to be “choosy” in the Netherlands?
6. What’s the “daddy day”?
7. In what way has Remco set a precedent?
8. What does Remco’s wife do? How does she feel about their work schedule?

  • Focus on Vocabulary:
Read the following sentences. What do the highlighted words/ expressions mean?   

  1. I’m off on Fridays.
  2. He joined a growing group of young professionals striving to find a balance between their work and family life.
  3. In a country where the workforce is shrinking, employees can afford to be choosy.
  4. The 4-day work week has become a reliable way for companies to attract and retain talent.
  5. Remcon’s collegues supported his request.
  6. “What’s on your mind?” Remcon asked the people who approached him for advice.
  7. Within a year, all his other male colleagues with small children have followed suit.
  8. “It’s your day off today. Sorry! I’ll call back on Monday. It’s not that urgent.”
  9. By doing this, Remco seems to have set a precedent.
  10. His wife feels they have achieved domestic equilibrium.
  11. “The children are so at ease with him.”- Remcon’s wife said. 
     
    • Discuss after you watch:
    •          What do you think about this new trend in the Netherlands?
    •          If you had the chance to work part time, would you do it? Why? Why not?